Chapter 40 Daisy Ann

The sun was just rising when Daisy Ann punched in the key code and walked into the offices of White Orchid Designs. She flipped on the lights and walked through the design rooms, scanning the drawings sitting out on drafting tables, then into the shop where workbenches were covered with metals, gemstones, and creations in various stages of completion. Sighing, she ran her hand over a long necklace of silver and turquoise and then walked to the end of the hall to her office, passing empty cubicles along the way. The thought of Amber stepping foot into this place Daisy Ann revered made her stomach turn.

Her office door was open, and she stepped inside. It was a stark room, with minimal decoration, just clean white walls with black-and-white photographs of their most iconic designs from the last ten years. She found this sterile environment, with no distractions, conducive to artistic creativity. Everywhere, the emphasis was on the jewelry. Her mother would be so proud. But last night's performance by Amber would have infuriated her. It had taken a lot to make Marylou Crawford lose her temper, but when she did, the intensity of her anger matched her flaming red hair. Daisy Ann smiled as she thought about her, thoughts that were always tinged with sadness and wistfulness, but also with gratitude for the wonderful mother she'd been. There was no way in hell Daisy Ann would allow this legacy of her mother's to be stolen.

She sat thinking about what she wanted to say to her employees until she heard the first sounds of footsteps. Rising from her desk, she walked down the hall to see that Rory, her silversmith, had arrived. He looked like he hadn't slept, lines of worry etched around his eyes.

"You look awful. Did you sleep at all last night?" she asked.

"Not much. What about you?"

"No, not much either. I've been worried about you. About everyone. I'll talk to them once everyone's here. In the meantime, come sit with me."

They sat together in her office, and she began. "Last night looked really bad for us, but I want you to know that there's no way I'm going to let that vile woman anywhere near this company. So please, don't worry about her and her crazy antics and just concentrate on your work. As always."

He shook his head. "It sounded pretty dire, Daisy Ann. I mean, if she has majority ownership, how are you going to stop her?"

"You let me worry about that. Have I ever let you down?"

Rory gave a defeated shrug, pressing his lips together, but said nothing.

"Rory, listen to me. I'm going to take care of this. You have to trust me. We can't let the others see us worried and afraid. Do you understand?" The most important thing right now was to keep moraleup.

"I guess. If you say so. I can put on a front for the time being. But—"

"No buts," she interrupted, looking away from him when she heard the sounds of people coming into the offices. "Now, let's go talk to our employees and give them our assurances that nothing is going to change."

When Daisy Ann left her offices, things were buzzing again, although the atmosphere was a trifle subdued despite what she thought had been a good talk with the entire staff. At least they weren't showing signs of doom and gloom, so she considered that a win. She slid into the driver's seat of the Porsche 911 Speedster. She'd thought it ridiculous when Mason bought the sports car five years ago and had ridden in it only a few times with him, flying along dusty country roads like a bat out of hell. She'd never driven it herself, but today it was just the vehicle she needed, because after her talk with Wade Ashford, she knew she'd need to be able to open up that little sports car and drive the hell out of her fury and hatred. She drove slowly, eased into the parking lot of his building, and sat in the car a few minutes, drumming her thumb against the steering wheel. When she felt calm enough, she got out of the car and walked up the five flights of stairs from the garage to Wade's office.

"I'm here to see Wade," she said to the receptionist.

"Hi, Mrs. Briscoe. Let me buzz him for you."

Daisy Ann waited until the girl looked back up at her. "Uh, he's in a meeting. He asked if you could come back at three. He said he'd be free then."

Daisy Ann turned away before the girl finished talking and strode toward Wade's office. She threw the door open and marchedin.

Wade vaulted from his seat, his face turning scarlet. There was no one else in the room.

"Who are you meeting with, the ghost of Christmas past?" Daisy Ann slammed the door behind her.

"You can't just come barging in like this. I'm a busy man," he sputtered.

"Yeah, real busy. Busy skulking around like a sneaky backstabbing rat behind my back."

"Now hold on. Just what are you accusing me of?"

Daisy Ann laughed at his audacity. "Just the little matter of selling all your shares of White Orchid. If you wanted to sell, you should have come to me."

"And what would you have said, huh? Valene Mart came to you, and you turned them down flat. They offered you a lot of money plus a continued interest in the company. You and I, we could have made a lot of money on that deal, but you said no. That was stupid, Daisy Ann. Even your daddy would have told you that."

"My daddy had more integrity in his little finger than you have in your entire body. You don't even know the meaning of integrity, Wade Ashford. What I think Daddy would have told me is to never get in bed with you in White Orchid in the first place. That's what I think."

"Jake Crawford never did like to get his hands dirty. Thought he was above the fray, better than everybody else. Mr. Honest Abe. But don't kid yourself. He was a shrewd businessman. He would never have let such an opportunity pass him by. You shoulda taken that offer, Daisy Ann. When you refused, well, that's when I knew I wanted out, and when that Bennett woman came to me, I thought, why the hell not. Sure as hell ain't gonna make any money holding on to this stock." He sat down at his desk.

"You're wrong, Wade. But you're too foolish to understand why. That's the difference between you and my daddy. He was a wise and honorable man. You? You're a sleazy parasite. All you care about is Wade Ashford and what's good for him. That's the mark of a true good for nothing."

Wade looked at her with contempt. "I think we're finished here, Mrs. Briscoe."

"Oh, Wade, you have no idea how very true that is." She gave him a contemptuous smile and swept out of the room.